EFCC Vows To Secure More Convictions This Year

0
495
EFCC Chairman

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has said expressed its readiness to improve on its scorecard of 177 convictions it recorded last year, saying directive for court to expedite action on all corruption cases would enhance greater success for the commission.

EFCC Head of Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, who spoke to journalists on Friday in Abuja said, although, the commission was delighted that it secured 177 convictions out of 533 cases in 2013, the commission is optimistic that it would surpass that in 2014.

He said with the new practice following directive by the Chief Justice of Nigeria on the expeditious handling of corruption cases, more successes would be recorded.

According to him, “In 2013, the Commission charged a total of 533 cases to court and recorded 117 convictions. This convictions figure represents an improvement over the 105 convictions recorded in 2012.”

He said, “the fact that 99 per cent of the convictions were secured by lawyers in the legal and prosecution department of the EFCC has
buoyed the determination of the leadership of the Commission to strengthen the department and de-emphasise the use of private solicitors for the prosecution of EFCC cases”.

“These figures indicate a steady progression in convictions return which is encouraging in the light of the well publicized encumbrances that the EFCC contends with in the prosecution of economic and financial crimes case,” he said.

The commission urged the on all stakeholders, especially the media to join the fight against corruption so that the social malaise can be exterminated from the Nigeria society.

The commission listed the conviction of Pastor Glory Abrefera and Reverend Vincent Okpogo and their company, Mustard Seed Micro Investment Limited as examples of cases won.

The two men of God where found guilty on a four count charge of carrying out banking practice without licence. The accused persons were said to have collected over N1 billion from different individuals and organizations as deposit in an illegal investment scheme, and failed to account for all the deposits they collected.

Justice Ibrahim Buba, of the Federal High Court Asaba, Delta State convicted and sentenced the accused persons to 10 years imprisonment on each count and  a fine of N2 million on each of the counts.

Also on the list is Aminu Sule Lamido, son of the current governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido. He was convicted on a money laundering charge and asked to forfeit 25 percent on the undisclosed sum he was arrested with at the Mallam Aminu Kano Airport.